Home Town To The Authorities

One of the main attractions of Pozarevac is Mirjana Markovic's family home where the Milosevic couple are known to come for a breather, to revive their memories and anticipate the future, not just their own or the town's but Serbia's as well.

Despite that, Pozarevac seems provincial at first sight. That image is reinforced by the filthy local buses, numerous bars and restaurants, streets filled with smugglers and dealers.

Pozarevac also has an opposition which reacts and authorities which act. The opposition in Pozarevac was among the first to get organized in Serbia and it's still holding out. Of the total 68 local councilors, 58 are socialists, reinforced by four independents.

Mayor Kosta Jerinic, at 31 the self-proclaimed youngest mayor in Serbia, says the town saw the first changes for the better in February last year. He explained the changes: ``Pozarevac unifies everything Serbia has. Agriculture, a food industry and power supply.''

``Unlike other towns, Pozarevac invested in the economy not local infrastructure,'' he said during an interview in his office. He added that he believed the time had come for Pozarevac to make up for its mistakes and undergo a period of intense development. He confided that Pozarevac was getting a higher education facility. He told us in strictest confidence that it was a sure thing that a military academy was to be built.

VREME asked Jerinic whether Pozarevac enjoys privileges other towns and cities do not since Milosevic... He did his best to prove the opposite. ``And where's the President's picture?'' He understood and immediately responded: ``The President's picture is not part of the official regalia for office space.''

The opposition's informal offices are in the Studio cafe owned by the local Secretary of the Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) architect Sasa Isakovic. A sign saying ``Smoking and political discussions are strictly forbidden'' is one of the cafe's centerpieces. Isakovic, Slavoljub Matic (Democratic Party of Serbia---DSS) and politically undecided Boban Miskovic replied to Jerinic's statements. They said Pozarevac was being built up and developed only on paper. They added that there's no contact between the authorities and opposition and said the local authorities were incompetent mainly because of the state of the SPS ``which is torn between nationalism and Mira's (Markovic) left.'' They pointed out recent personnel changes as an example. The local SPS chairman and a local district chief were replaced and even the mayor isn't safe.

The opposition said all of Mira's rising stars in Pozarevac were on the cover of VREME (July 11) that showed the founding meeting of the Yugoslav United Left (YUL). The photo showed the new local district chief Miroslav Miskovic, Brodarstvo Shipbuilding company Director Dobrica Stepanovic, Sugar Factory Director Bogoljub Jovanovic, Cooperative Secretary Rade Milanovic, Serbian Economic Chamber President Vlajko Stojiljkovic, leftist minister Leposava Milicevic, Dragan Kostic and Andreja Milosavljevic, newly appointed minister Dragoslav Jovanovic, the new SPS Party President, federal Parliament secretary Milisav Milenkovic... They all come from Pozarevac.

Milosevic's home

Pozarevac does not have a Tolstoi street (the current Belgrade address of Milosevic and Markovic), but it has a street named after medieval Serbian King Nemanja. Number 33 in Nemanjina street is the Milosevic family home.

I approached the large green metal gate with a guardhouse on its left. A policeman appeared and said I couldn't go in. Standing on tiptoe I looked across the fence: a large walnut tree hides the view but in the distance I saw an old house typical of that part of Serbia, a huge garden and lawn, lots of trees.

``Who comes here,'' I asked. ``They come when they come,'' the policeman replied. ``Could I go in,'' I asked. ``Come with the President and he'll show you,'' he answered.

Later I learned that the grounds, which once housed a warehouse, include a helicopter pad for the President to land on.